WRAP: And you thought England had problems. Italy played all right, actually. They defended fairly well, and were unlucky that the linesman didn't spot the offside that allowed Smeltz to score early. In the final third, however, they were profoundly lacking in ideas, and even looked a little toothless in the face of one of the most fearless rearguards you will see in this tournament.

Which brings us to the magnificent New Zealand. They will want to bottle this moment forever. They produced a display of fortitude, courage and skill (well, a bit). What is beyond doubt is that they now have a genuine chance of qualifying. Victory over Paraguay in their final group game will definitely send them through, possibly even as group winners. Even a draw might be good enough if Italy and Slovakia cancel each other out. And - which is more - they've really stuck it to the Aussies. Cherish this, New Zealand. That was extraordinary. Make sure you catch Brazil against Ivory Coast later. See you soon.

From Ian Chadband: "Magnificent! All hail the splendid All Whites. Unlike New Zealand's garlanded All Blacks, this lot actually don't bottle it at World Cups"

FULL TIME Italy 1-1 New Zealand Who said lightning doesn't strike twice? Humiliation for Italy, glory redoubled for New Zealand. Their fans in the stands are on the verge of combusting with pleasure.

90+4 min The four minutes have been played. Italy still in their own half.

90+3 min Free-kick for New Zealand as Wood goes down. New Zealand can almost sniff glory... Might be a little extra time for the substitution.

90+2 min Italy are running out of ideas. Criscito with a cross that sails out of play. Thumbs up from Ricki Herbert, who wastes a little more time by brining on Andy Barron for Chris Killen. Barron works for a bank in Wellington, and has had to ask for time off to play in the World Cup. Although if you were his boss, you'd have to let him take it, realistically...

90+1 min Paston rises and claims another cross. He's been superb.

90 min Zambrotta! Blocked by Nelsen, brilliantly! Zambrotta tried to bring it inside, a la Grosso four years ago, and shoots, but Nelsen blocks it with what looks suspiciously like his crotch. Four minutes of stoppage time.

89 min Camoranesi again, but he can't control the ball in the right channel under pressure from Elliott and the ball goes behind for a goal-kick. What have New Zealand got left? What have Italy got left?

88 min Camoranesi! Advancing from midfield and shooting from distance, and Paston, who's been a latter-day Kiwi hero between the sticks, flies to his left to put it behind.

87 min De Rossi with a great long ball behind the defence for Di Natale, but he can't bring it under control with his first touch and New Zealand can clear again. Two minutes plus stoppage time to go.

86 min The All Whites fans are partying in the stands. Meanwhile, Nelsen has stayed down in his own area with cramp, and the stretcher-bearers are on. He doesn't need the stretcher and instead hobbles off, an offence that wins him, inexplicably, a yellow card for time-wasting.

85 min Reid heads away, Montolivo miscues a shot, and not for the first time, Ryan Nelsen puts his head where no sane man would dare and puts it out for a throw.

84 min New Zealand are getting closer and closer to what would surely be the greatest result in their history. But they've got a corner to defend now.

83 min Smeltz breaks for New Zealand. He plays it back for Lochhead, who crosses for Killen, but it's over the head of the Middlesbrough striker.

82 min And now New Zealand a whisker away! The ball broke kindly off Cannavaro for Chris Wood, who shot first time. Marchetti was beaten, but the ball just beat the post.

81 min Apparently, they play in the second tier of US football. Corner to Italy, and Chiellini heads wide at the back post.

80 min Jeremy Christie, who plays for the Tampa Bay Rowdies (surely not a real team?) in the USA, comes on for Vicelich.

79 min They still haven't had that clear-cut opening yet, Italy. Di Natale tries from distance again, but it trickles harmlessly wide.

77 min Camoranesi plays a delicious reverse ball into the path of Iaquinta, but the ball just won't sit down for him, and Tommy Smith can just insert a toe into the fray and put out for a corner.

76 min After a protracted spell of pressure, Montolivo swings in an angled cross. Paston dashes out - although to be fair, he could have moonwalked out, he had so much time - and catches.

75 min Eleven men behind the ball for New Zealand. Italian fans nervously chewing their fingernails. Of course, they sprinkle a little parmesan on them first...

74 min Maddeningly for Italy, New Zealand are passing it around in their half. Eventually, though, Simon Elliott kicks his own foot instead of the ball, and Italy regain possession. Still plenty of time here - for either side.

73 min Reid has received treatment and is now back on the pitch. He's needed. New Zealand are beginning to resort to the 'Hoof it' school of defending.

72 min Chaos as Italy break! Winston Reid was caught by Chiellini in the Italy area and has stayed down. But New Zealand played on and can have no complaints when Italy do the same. Eventually Di Natale pulls it back from the left and Ryan Nelsen, who's been immense, clears it out.

71 min Careless by Cannavaro as he handles trying to control a bouncing ball. A little respite for New Zealand, who must be starting to believe now.

70 min Montolivo with an excellent strike, and a great save by Paston! It flew and dipped through the air, but a strong right hand by Paston kept it out. Paston's had a good game after a shaky opening against Slovakia.

69 min Again, Zambrotta's cross fails to clear the first man.

68 min De Rossi with a free-kick. That's appalling.

67 min Montolivo dances to the edge of the New Zealand area, but his reverse lay-off is just awful. Smith clears.

66 min Smeltz gets the ball on the left wing and sets Killen on the chase, but Cannavaro is strong enough to intercept in his own corner. That's not where Italy want to be, though...

65 min Italy haven't really crafted a meaninful opportunity for a while. Camoranesi takes a free-kick from the right, and Paston punches under little pressure. Di Natale sticks it back in, and it's a corner. Wood heads away, Zambrotta twists and turns and finally crosses, but Lochhead blocks it.

64 min Here's a statement from the French team: "All players without exception want to declare opposition to FFF decision to exclude Anelka." Oh, grow up.

63 min Ooh, Vicelich from outside the area! It was a beautifully-struck volley, as juicy and succulent as a leg of New Zealand lamb, and it went just wide.

62 min As Italy make their final change, New Zealand prepare their first. Eighteen-year-old Chris Wood of West Brom is coming on for Rory Fallon, who looked like a walking, jostling suspension out there.

60 min Iaquinta was through for a split second! Great pass by De Rossi finds him in space, but in the time it takes for him to get the ball under control, he's swamped by white shirts. And with half an hour to go, Italy are making their final change. Giampaolo Pazzini, who's impressed for Sampdoria this season, comes on for Marchisio, who's not done a great deal.

59 min And Italy's impatience is beginning to show a little. Marcello Lippi's cutting a white-haired Basil Fawlty figure on the sidelines, while Camoranesi sends a through ball straight out of play.

57 min Clearly Ricki Herbert has told his side to try and keep the ball a little better in the second half. They're knocking it around - mostly sideways and backwards, mind - but if they keep this up they may well succeed in frustrating Italy. That may not keep them from scoring, but they should elicit some highly satisfying hand gestures. Italians are so reliably entertaining on that score.

56 min Here it comes from Camoranesi. Smith heads it away.

55 min Silly foul by Lochhead on Camoranesi gives Italy a dangerous free-kick on the right.

54 min A little possession for New Zealand, but even when they have the ball, you feel it's on Italy's sufferance alone, like a grandmaster sacrificing a pawn to the plucky club player, safe in the knowledge he has a terrifying fork in the offing.

52 min New Zealand are being pushed further and further back. If this were a game of rugby, they'd be camped in their own 22. And thus begins and ends my rugby lexicon.

51 minAlex Roe is watching this al fresco: "Thanks to your coverage, I can follow Italy v NZ game. Was kicked out of my house for bringing bad luck to Italy. Am in temporary World Cup-induced exile in Milan." Nicolas Anelka knows exactly how you feel.

50 min Great little passing triangles by New Zealand, but it only gets them as far as the halfway line, from where Smeltz misplaces a sideways pass and gives the ball back.

49 min Paston beats away a volley on the turn by Di Natale, who slipped around the back of Smith and pulled the trigger from a tight angle.

48 min For all Italy's opportunities, a draw would leave them in much the same situation as England - needing a win in their final game against Slovakia.

46 min Killen starts with intent, running at Italy in the right channel, but he's surrounded and is ultimately satisfied with a throw.

16.02 Two changes for Italy - Antonio di Natale and Mauro Camoranesi come on for Alberto Gilardino and Simone Pepe. Italy looking for a cutting edge in the final third.

16.01Sean Quirke has shown his hand, and there's a shamrock inside it. "French team in disarray, English team in turmoil, New Zealand to win the World Cup (yet to happen)! I love World Cups." To be fair, Sean, you don't generally have to wait until the World Cup to see an England team in turmoil. You normally just have to wake up in the morning.

15.54 ITV just showed images of Marcel Desailly and Patrick Vieira on their mobile phones in the studio, trying to get news. "But I cannot," you can almost make out Vieira saying. "I do not have my football shoes with me. Also, I am wearing a lilac cardigan. The opposition will rip me apart."

15.53 I remember before the tournament one punter put £110,000 on France winning the World Cup. I wouldn't offer to take that bet off his hands for a fiver. Whatever must French fans be thinking after all this? I suppose you just take whatever England fans are thinking and add several glasses of red wine and a few nonchalant shrugs.

15.49 Ha, ha.

Breaking news: France's squad refused to take part in a training session today, according to French Football Federation official Jean-Louis Valentin who subsequently resigned. "I am disgusted, I am quitting my post," Valentin said.

France captain Patrice Evra had a shouting match with fitness coach Robert Duverne prior to the scheduled training session which led coach Raymond Domenech to intervene. Evra departed to acknowledge the public while a furious Duverne threw his stopwatch towards the far end of the pitch.

HALF TIME Italy 1-1 New Zealand A scoreline is worth a thousand words.

44 min Ryan Nelsen does well to clear a low, drilled-in cross by Zambrotta with Pepe closing in. From the corner, Gilardino heads into the side-netting. One minute of added time.

From Rory Smith: "Small band of 100 or so New Zealand fans steadfastly refusing to take part in predictable, soul-sapping, spirit-sagging Mexican wave. Well done."

42 min Another area in which New Zealand fall far short of Italy - diving. Reid knocks the ball ahead of him and then falls to the floor clutching his face. Four of out of ten, Winston.

41 min Pepe is penalised as he goes up for a header with Smith. Marcello Lippi wears an anguished look on the touchline.

40 min Iaquinta tries to flick the ball through to Pepe, but Paston is alert to this one. The worrying thing for New Zealand is that Italy are beginning to play through the centre. You feel New Zealand could hold out if it was simply a case of heading away crosses all day, but Italy are being a little more direct here.

37 min That's the trouble with New Zealand. They'll knock the ball around the defence three or four times, but at the first sign of an encroaching blue shirt, they'll lump the ball upfield and give away possession. Reid doing the honours this time.

36 min New Zealand have provided virtually zero attacking threat since their goal. This is now a grim struggle for survival. The half-time whistle will be a blessed relief.

34 min But Italy have been behind in both their games so far. Could they be the team that scraps and bullies their way to the World Cup final, like Germany did in 2002? If Spain fail to top their group, the draw opens out for them in a most pleasing way...

33 min According to Opta, on the five previous occasions that Italy have conceded in the first 10 minutes of a World Cup game, they have never lost. I doubt they're going to lose this one, either.

31 min I did actually read that somewhere, by the way, I didn't have to look it up.

29 min Kate from Switzerland asks why the Italians are wearing black armbands. It's in memory of Roberto Rosato, the former national team defender, who died this morning at the age of 66. He was a member of the team that reached the 1970 World Cup final.

28 min GOAL Italy 1-1 New Zealand (Iaquinta pen) After an interminable wait, Iaquinta slots it into the right hand side of the goal. We're all square, and that goal was on the cards. New Zealand need to hold it together here.

27 min PENALTY TO ITALY No complaints there. Smith drags down De Rossi in the area, and De Rossi needed no invitation to tumble. Carlos Batres thought about it, but gave it eventually. Iaquinta...

26 min Montolivo hits the post! Mark Paston maybe thought that was going wide, but watched in horror as at the last minute, the Magic Jabulani (TM) made a body-swerve for goal. It ended up hitting the inside of the post and bouncing clear. Poor pressing by New Zealand, you have to say.

24 min Paston has to be at full stretch to knock away a cross. Italy are knocking at the door here.

23 min Rory Fallon, already booked gets a final, final warning from Carlos Batres as he raises another elbow into the face of Chiellini. Chiellini did go down like he'd been impaled by a samurai sword, but New Zealand are playing a very physical game here.

22 min New Zealand's goal has cheered up a lot of you on the e-mail. Sean Quirke: "I'm at work, but thanks to the Telegraph and being able to see that scoreline it makes it a little easier." Yeah, working on a Sunday. I try and avoid it whenever I can.

21 min Familiar tactics by New Zealand, pack the centre with bodies, let Italy run it wide, and back themselves to deal with the crosses as they come in. This game could be won in the air. Zambrotta surges forward and shoots just over from 20 yards.

19 min Fabio Cannavaro is in the wars here in his 14th World Cup. Killen digs a litte elbow into his ribs that referee Carlos Batres of Guatemala fails to spot.

18 min "Get up!" a Kiwi fan screams in the stands as Montolivo goes down. He wins a free-kick, though. Montolivo, not the Kiwi fan.

16 min New Zealand are sitting back in their own half. But they can still break with real pace, and Leo Bertos hares down the right wing like lightning. Eventually he runs it out for a goal kick, but just a little hint of New Zealand's pace there.

13 min It all evens itself out in the end, World Cup luck. Mauro Tassotti's flying elbow on Luis Enrique in 1994. Ahn-Jung Hwan in 2002. The easy draw in 2006. Swings and roundabouts, and Italy have just been dealt a swing. Fallon booked for raising his arm as he jumps with Cannavaro.

From Rory Smith: "Me and Tom Dart of The Times drove up here cracking gags about how rubbish Shane Smeltz is. It was quite an easy finish, mind..."

10 min It's about 80 minutes too soon to be playing this game, but should it stay like this, Paraguay and New Zealand could arrange a draw between themselves in the final group game and both go through...

9 min Italy are swarming forward with the righteous fury of the damned here. Pepe wins a corner, from which Iaquinta manages to get a header in, but it goes straight into the ground.

8 min Mark Paston beats the ball away as Montolivo whips in a free-kick for Italy!

6 min GOAL Italy 0-1 New Zealand (Smeltz) Not a misprint! It's a huge slice of luck for New Zealand as Elliott swings in a free-kick from the left. The flick-on comes off Cannavaro and Smeltz is on hand to prod it home, but he was miles offside. Who cares, though? The All Whites are one up on the Azzurri!

4 min Big day for Federico Marchetti of Cagliari, who probably arrived in South Africa expecting to do little more than carry the frescatos.

3 min Iaquinta gets up above Fallon, and Italy get it away.

2 min First corner to Italy. New Zealand clear it, and as they break Killen is brought down. First opportunity to get some heads up for New Zealand.

1 min New Zealand already making their intentions clear with a long ball upfield looking for Killen. A real difference of styles here - think a fancy risotto against a couple of lamb chops and a pint of Tetley's.

15.00 Right, here we go!

14.58 National anthems. Italy's, majestic as ever. New Zealand's, a hope-filled rabble-rouser. 2-1 to Italy.

14.53: FromRory Smithon Twitter: "Nelspruit's stadium is meant to look a bit like a giraffe. Evil creatures, giraffes. They're abhorrent in the eyes of God."

14.51: Famous last words? Daniele De Rossi pre-game: “There are teams that we should beat, we're better." Rugby may be king in The Land of the Long White Cloud but the All Whites have this song to inspire them.

14.50: Astonish your friends with your incredible knowledge of the All Whites by reading a guide to 15 big things you didn't know about New Zealand football.

14.45: Hello again and welcome to this Group F clash. Paraguay have just beaten Slovakia 2-0 and in doing so have laid down the gauntlet to the holders. This should be a goodie.